Working together to protect sacred taonga

Te Waikoropupū Springs in Tākaka are a sacred taonga (treasure) for Manawhenua Ki Mohua (Golden Bay), and indeed the whole motu (country): the springs and the surrounding bush area have been registered as a wāhi tapu (sacred) site with Heritage NZ.

The natural forming springs have been awarded a Water Conservation Order, the highest protection order available from the Environmental Court, reflecting its cultural, environmental, and social importance locally and nationally.

The busy road leading to the springs is surrounded with a mix of highly flammable plants posing a significant fire risk. Fire behaviour predictions in the area where the springs are located suggest that an uncontained fire will cause catastrophic damage. Early detection, education and planting low-flammability vegetation offer the best opportunity to prevent a fire occurring and to put it out before it’s too late.

He Whakakotahitanga, an agreement of intent initiated by the Takaka Volunteer Fire Brigade and signed by representatives of Mohua Fire Brigades, the District and Onetahua Marae, marked the beginning of a joint commitment to work better together. Since then, the two parties have supported each other through events and initiatives, including raising awareness of the risk to Te Waikoropupū Springs and identifying ways to reduce this risk.

On 24 August 2024, local Fire and Emergency volunteers, alongside Mana Whenua, DoC and Department of Corrections replaced an area of highly flammable plant species along the roadside leading to the springs with 500 low flammability options.

Darren Crawford, Senior Advisor Readiness and Recovery, says ‘the success of this initiative has been due to the deepening of our relationships with Mana Whenua. He Whakakotahitanga gave us a strong platform for this mahi.’

Now, options are being explored for a fire detection camera for the area and signage to educate the community about the significance of the springs and the fire risks.

‘There's quite a bit of momentum now, we're on a mission,’ Darren adds.

All these initiatives provide an invaluable opportunity for the community to build their resilience and ensure they’re well placed to deal with possible fire emergencies in Te Waikoropupū Springs area.

Nelson-Marlborough District Manager, Grant Haywood says, 'we can't do everything, but we can help the community to understand their risk and take the steps to mitigate it. We hope this project will lead to opportunities to protect other areas of significance from fire across the country.’

‘This mahi is a great example of a community coming together to protect what they value for future generations.’